I hit the arcade and the screen explodes—scores climbing, footsteps in the speakers, the Cosmic Silverback charging my flank. I freeze, realize every point matters, and the leaderboard is suddenly the only language that counts. You feel the same tug: one run can change everything.
I’ve been through these CoD leaderboard events enough to know how they pull attention and hoard time. Here’s a clear playbook for the Dead Ops Arcade 4 event in Black Ops 7: what starts when, which rewards matter, and the quickest ways to push your score without wasting a single match.
At my desk the calendar reads Feb. 26, so the event clock is already ticking — BO7 Dead Ops Arcade 4 event: challenges and rewards
The event goes live on Feb. 26 at 11:00 a.m. CT. It’s a free, timed leaderboard event inside Black Ops 7 and it centers on Dead Ops Arcade 4, the top-down twinstick Zombies minigame that first showed up in Black Ops 1. If you push high on the leaderboard you can earn one of 13 rewards handed out by placement.
Dead Ops Arcade is a pressure cooker where split-second choices make or break a run.
You’re playing to score—high point totals move you up the ranking ladder. Activision and Treyarch are the names behind the content, and the prizes range from emblems and camos to GobbleGums and a Maddox RFB blueprint.
| Placement | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Top 30 | – “C.A. Doodle” emblem – 1x “Nowhere But There” GobbleGum |
| Top 15 | – “Fowl Play” weapon camo – 1x “Phoenix Up” GobbleGum |
| Top 10 | – 1x “Immolation Liquidation” GobbleGum – 1x “Round Off” GobbleGum |
| Top 5 | – “Egged” animated camo – 1x “Near Death Experience” GobbleGum |
| First Place | – 1x “Reign Drops” GobbleGum |
When does the Dead Ops Arcade 4 event start?
It begins on Feb. 26 at 11:00 a.m. CT. Mark your local clock and be ready — the early sessions are where the leaderboard seeds form and momentum starts. If you want a shot at Top 30 or higher, plan to play at launch and during the first 48 hours.
What rewards can I get in Dead Ops Arcade 4?
There are 13 total items tied to leaderboard placement and lifetime score milestones. You can earn emblems, weapon camos, animated skins, multiple GobbleGums, and a Maddox RFB blueprint. These are cosmetic and utility items that carry weight in Zombies matches and in the broader Call of Duty ecosystem.
How do I climb the DOA4 leaderboard?
You climb by racking up high scores in the arcade-style DOA4 mode. Aim for long streaks and bonus multipliers, and focus on survivability while maximizing point gains. Play on platforms where input feels best for you—PC, PlayStation, or Xbox—and use what works: precision controls and consistent runs beat sporadic heroic plays.
On my last run I noticed a clear pattern — lifetime event rewards and score milestones
There’s a parallel track to the leaderboard: lifetime-event rewards that come from cumulative score and completing challenges inside DOA4. Treat the lifetime path like steady accumulation; it pays out even if you never touch the Top 30.
| Required Score | Reward |
|---|---|
| – | “Newtonian Negation” GobbleGum |
| 100,000 | “Crabby” weapon charm |
| 250,000 | “Elemental Exposure” GobbleGum |
| 500,000 | “Furious Fury” Maddox RFB blueprint |
Play repeatedly and steadily—short, focused sessions add up. I recommend prioritizing scoring routes that consistently net big multipliers rather than chasing risky high-value plays that end runs early.
The leaderboard is a gauntlet: repeatable precision beats flashy one-offs every time.
If you want to gate your session time, set a points target per run and stop when you hit it. You’ll improve your runs without burning out. You can also use GobbleGums you already own to extend life or double points — they’re rare but strategic, and tied to the larger Zombies meta.
Activision’s event is simple on paper: play DOA4, collect points, finish high, claim rewards. You can chase the leaderboard trophy or build the lifetime score stack; both reward time and craft. Which path will you bet your hours on?